Disabled man accused of torching house in dispute with aide

Updated 11:24 am, Tuesday, January 8, 2013

A disabled Houston man with a lengthy criminal history is accused of setting a fire that damaged a northeast Houston home on Jan. 1, according to the Houston Fire Department.

Willie Lewis Sr., 84, faces a felony arson charge in the case, fire officials said. A judge denied bond for the suspect, who was being held Tuesday at the Harris County Jail, court records show.

Lewis' caretaker, Whitney Abili, told HFD arson investigators that Lewis "became agitated and angry during breakfast and began to assault her by trying to run her over with the motorized scooter that he uses to get around," according to a criminal complaint. "Ms. Abili stated she removed the key from the scooter so Mr. Lewis would stop assaulting her with it."

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Things began to heat up from there at the home in the 5600 block of Kashmere Street, according to investigators.

"Ms. Abili said Mr. Lewis told her, 'I got something for you bitch' after she took the key from the scooter," according to the complaint.

Abili walked away and a short time later she detected a faint smell of gasoline, and saw Lewis in her bedroom, sitting on a couch adjacent to the closet, investigators said. She said she watched Lewis ignite a match and throw it into her closet, which erupted in flames, according to investigators.

Investigators said that Abili gave Lewis the keys to the scooter and told him to leave the house while she grabbed the fire extinguisher from the kitchen. When she returned to her bedroom the fire had grown significantly so she decided to escape the front home of the home.

But Lewis, investigators said, had other plans.

"Abili stated that Mr. Lewis positioned himself and the scooter at the front doorway in an attempt to block Ms. Abili's escape from the house but she managed to get past him," the criminal complaint states. She told firefighters she had to forcibly remove Lewis, who "was just watching the fire and did not want to move from the area."

Lewis later admitted to setting the fire, telling arson investigator Stephen Ross that "was tired of being mistreated by his caretaker," who he said "locks him inside his room and won't let him come out during the day," according to the criminal complaint.

"Mr. Lewis states he hasn't had a bath in a week, and Ms. Abili doesn't give him his medication properly," according to the complaint.

Asked if he set the fire, Lewis told investigators that "anywhere was better than sitting inside that house with his caretaker."

Lewis has a criminal history dating to 1977 that includes convictions for weapon possession (pistol), delivery of amphetamine, delivery of dangerous drugs, possession of a controlled substance, and theft, court records show.